James Grover Franciscus (January 31, 1934 â€" July 8, 1991) was an
American actor, known for his roles in feature films and in four
television series: Mr. Novak, The Naked City, The Investigators, and
Longstreet.Franciscus was born in Clayton, Missouri, to Lorraine (née
Grover) and John Allen Franciscus, who was killed during World War II
When James was nine. In 1957, Franciscus received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in English and theatre arts from Yale University in New Haven,
Connecticut, where he graduated magna cum laude. He was a classmate of
Dick Cavett and Bill Hinnant.His first major role was as Detective Jim
Halloran in the half-hour version of ABC's Naked City. Franciscus
guest starred on the CBS military sitcom/drama Hennesey, starring
Jackie Cooper, and on the NBC drama about family conflicts in the
American Civil War entitled The Americans. CBS soon cast him in the
lead in the 13-week series The Investigators, which aired from October
5 to December 28, 1961. He played the insurance investigator Russ
Andrews, with James Philbrook as a co-star. Franciscus was also cast
in the role of Tom Grover in the 1961 episode "The Empty Heart" of the
CBS anthology series, The DuPont Show with June Allyson. He performed
in many feature films and television programs throughout the 1960s and
1970s, preceded by a minor role in an episode of The Twilight Zone
titled "Judgment Night" in 1959, and a major role in episodes of
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: "Forty Detectives Later" in 1960, and
"Summer Shade" in 1961.He starred in I Passed for White (1960), and in
1963 he appeared as Mike Norris in the episode "Hang By One Hand" on
the NBC medical drama about psychiatry, The Eleventh Hour. He also
guest-starred on Combat! and Miracle of the White Stallions.
Franciscus may be best remembered for his title roles in NBC's Mr.
Novak (1963â€"65) and ABC's Longstreet (1971â€"72) which included his
blind character taking martial arts lessons in Jeet Kune Do from the
late Bruce Lee as Li Tsung in four episodes, and for his vocal
performance in the big-screen version of Jonathan Livingston Seagull
(1973). Along with Lloyd Bridges, he served as host of the syndicated
real-life adventure series Waterworld, which aired from 1972 to 1975.
In 1977, he starred in his fifth television series, the short-lived
Hunter (as a secret agent).
American actor, known for his roles in feature films and in four
television series: Mr. Novak, The Naked City, The Investigators, and
Longstreet.Franciscus was born in Clayton, Missouri, to Lorraine (née
Grover) and John Allen Franciscus, who was killed during World War II
When James was nine. In 1957, Franciscus received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in English and theatre arts from Yale University in New Haven,
Connecticut, where he graduated magna cum laude. He was a classmate of
Dick Cavett and Bill Hinnant.His first major role was as Detective Jim
Halloran in the half-hour version of ABC's Naked City. Franciscus
guest starred on the CBS military sitcom/drama Hennesey, starring
Jackie Cooper, and on the NBC drama about family conflicts in the
American Civil War entitled The Americans. CBS soon cast him in the
lead in the 13-week series The Investigators, which aired from October
5 to December 28, 1961. He played the insurance investigator Russ
Andrews, with James Philbrook as a co-star. Franciscus was also cast
in the role of Tom Grover in the 1961 episode "The Empty Heart" of the
CBS anthology series, The DuPont Show with June Allyson. He performed
in many feature films and television programs throughout the 1960s and
1970s, preceded by a minor role in an episode of The Twilight Zone
titled "Judgment Night" in 1959, and a major role in episodes of
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: "Forty Detectives Later" in 1960, and
"Summer Shade" in 1961.He starred in I Passed for White (1960), and in
1963 he appeared as Mike Norris in the episode "Hang By One Hand" on
the NBC medical drama about psychiatry, The Eleventh Hour. He also
guest-starred on Combat! and Miracle of the White Stallions.
Franciscus may be best remembered for his title roles in NBC's Mr.
Novak (1963â€"65) and ABC's Longstreet (1971â€"72) which included his
blind character taking martial arts lessons in Jeet Kune Do from the
late Bruce Lee as Li Tsung in four episodes, and for his vocal
performance in the big-screen version of Jonathan Livingston Seagull
(1973). Along with Lloyd Bridges, he served as host of the syndicated
real-life adventure series Waterworld, which aired from 1972 to 1975.
In 1977, he starred in his fifth television series, the short-lived
Hunter (as a secret agent).
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